Leaked MacBook Pro images show Thunderbolt port, specs

New, higher-resolution images of an upcoming refreshed MacBook Pro were revealed on Wednesday, giving us our first clear look at the laptop’s new Thunderbolt port. Seen here on the new 13-inch MacBook Pro model, Thunderbolt is Apple’s rebranded name for Intel’s new Light Peak high-speed wired connection technology. The image above also reveals specs for this particular model, which include a dual-core 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM, a 320GB hard drive and an integrated “FaceTime HD camera.” Apple is expected to release its new MacBook Pro models tomorrow. Hit the break for one more shot.

how are they getting away w/ calling this Thunderbolt when HTC just put out a cell phone by same name? i’d say somebody has a trademark claim, but i don’t know much about those things.

Professional Squirrel Herder

To the best of my knowledge, in order to file a trademark claim (or any other type of intellectual property infringement), the name would need to be on a similar product (ie: another phone). By being on a different product (an I/O port), it’s harder to make a claim. They might be able to make a case that the alternate product decreases the value of their tradename by causing confusion among consumers – and the fact that Apple also competes in the phone market space makes that at least potentially possible … but I believe it would require a longer legal process … by the time it ran its way through court, at the speed lawsuits work in the USA, the phone could be well past its expected end-of-life.

Anonymous

You are correct. The trademark only applies for similar/comparable products. Since the phone and the I/O ports are not the same type of product, a trademark claim would probably be useless here.

blackbyrd

Why then does Verizon have to pay for the Droid name? Clearly they’re not selling robots that translate, or do household chores.

http://twitter.com/erictron87 Eric Michaud

Nothing About SSD?

http://twitter.com/sjoeboo Matt Nicholson

Am I the only person that see that the “Thunderbolt” port looks exactly like the DisplayPort port on my Mid-2k9 Macbook pro? Like, identical in terms of port, and placement(obviously the icon, the easiest to photoshop, is different).

Even if it IS real, then….what happened to DisplayPort (or the ability to have external displays) ?

http://www.dearblankpleaseblank.com/ Jared Wunsch

haha, agreed. identical to my mini-display port.

http://twitter.com/wunderbar Tyler Hardeman

Seriously. Why is no one else really picking up on this? I’m staring at my 13″ MBP right now, and aside from the ‘shopped icon, it looks *exactly* the same.

Johnathan

If you look on the box, it says that the Thunderbolt port can be used to connect mini display port devices.

sirpaul

You think a tech blog wouldn’t have picked up on that? Read the box. The ports are combined.

Guestbro

Are there any current applications for this sort of port or is this future proofing?

sirpaul

Mostly future-proofing.

Anonymous

wow PAPYINC was right so far…that’s “story” #2…

Anonymous

Oh look, the specs of a $600 laptop at twice the price. Can’t wait!

Dvandaveer

Although if you care for you laptop to last more than 12 months and want the internal parts to be as solid as the cheap casing looks on you PC you would understand why you pay the price for a Apple machine. The Mac users out there understand why they spend the money, you should give it a shot!

Anonymous

I have had my 13 Macbook (the black one) since ~2005 and I have not had to service it once. No dead hard drives, overheating or burnt testicles. It is however about time they upgrade the insides of the Macbooks. It is long overdue.

Steel

How can you Mac fans still trot out this argument about pc hardware? Granted, you’ve got really nice cases but that’s kinda it. I’ve never had any pc laptop fail so far, even after several years of use.

Lee_Majors

Who cares. Some people value quality and integration, others like large range of perceived choice an cheap cost and aren’t able to appreciate quality. I prefer quality.

If you can’t see the point in owning a new Apple product I would suggest not reading blog posts about the latest upcoming product from Apple.

Joel

I for one like free OS updates instead of paying hundreds for the newest windows that just crashes. I have been a big fan of the Apple computer since I switched. Superior build quality, design. Plus I have a iPhone so I like everything to be unified.

hoboX10

Yep, those foxconn motherboards sure are “solid”. and i supposed the other hardware apple uses, the same hardware that every other company uses, is magically more “solid” because its in an apple product?

Apple is a terrible company. Deal with it. Stop being a hipster.

Anonymous

I spend the money because i has moor monie than chest hairs and i likez to spend it all. I like color and majic and APle give me both and turn a tidy profit. i love bread.

Anonymous

Tell that to my 2001 Compaq laptop that’s been beaten to hell in the workplace and at home, but still runs like a champ!

HiImAdam

I call BS. First of all you might wanna do a little reading and look at the cost of ownership difference between a PC and a Mac, YOU will be surprised, most of us wouldn’t. Dell and HP have some of the highest failure rates of any electronics device (everyone is second to Xbox at 16% fail rate). The difference they are talking about is that they can still run today’s software just fine on computers that are years old, oh I am sure your 2001 PC does that … troll on Trollington

Anonymous

You can call BS all you want. The thing has a 30GB HDD, 1GB of ram, Win2K, 14″ screen, and a 1.2Ghz AMD mobile processor. I bought it when I was consulting between 2001 and 2003. I’ve replaced a couple batteries for it since I purchased it, but have had zero hardware failures in my 10 years of ownership.

If you take good care of your equipment, it lasts. Sure, it’s not going to run the hardcore games out today, but neither can a mac.

sirpaul

I’ve had my desktop for 7 years now and it has never had a single problem, freezing maybe 20 times throughout it’s entire life. I’ve also had my laptop for 1 year, it’s on most of the time and I use it at least 8 hours a day. I have over 70 programs installed and weekly perform processor and memory-intensive tasks like video and image (RAW) editing.

As for my iPhone, it freezes several twice a week and it’s not even jailbroken.

Anonymous

Yeah, what exactly is Apple thinking with all these ridiculous non-1080p displays? What is so freakin hard about 1920×1080?

Anonymous

Yeah those $600 laptops usually have what, 5 Light Peak ports?

Anonymous

Or you could, you know, follow industry standards for once and put a damn HDMI port in it already.

HiImAdam

LOL so you can plug your laptop into a TV and have it sit there? Same as HDMI in a phone, serious I’m not interested in plugging my phone into a TV to watch a movie, that’s what Airplay is for :)

Anonymous

Uhh…yeah that’s exactly what I use it for actually. Netflix? Youtube on a big screen? My VAIO has a blu-ray player? All in crystal clear 5.1 surround through my yamaha reciever? Yes please. And airplay is stupid. I prefer a nice gold-plated termination between my source and audio equipment.

marK

cmon now – apple owners know not what it’s like to have integrated blue ray – cut them some slack.

Anonymous

Actually, that’s what the other industry standard that they don’t support, DLNA, is for.

Sonya

All I want is a HDMI port.

Mstone

Never going to happen. Mini display port already adapts and it takes up less room so what is the point. There is a cable on apple’s sight for $45 and plugs into mini display port and the other end is hdmi. I mean if that is the only thing you want you’re going to keep waiting…

Anonymous

I’ll stick with my VAIO. Apple will not budge until there’s enormous pressure.

Anonymous

<<>> Vaio….those have to be one of the nastiest pieces of sh!t on the face of the earth…

sirpaul

nefan is right – shittiest laptops I’ve ever had the displeasure of working with (fixing). They stuff the thing full of features to beef up the specs list, and make up for it by substandard build quality and implementation.

Bob

does that mini display port support audio and video such as the hdmi

http://twitter.com/adamjayreid Adam Reid

yep

Anonymous

The mini display port did not used to support audio and video. it was infuriating. and some goober at the apple store in my city cited very arrogantly that HDMI was too slow for audio. O_O. Mega face-palm. For the record, HDMI is the only standard that uses lossless codecs and true 7.1 channel audio. Anyway, so I gathered what was left of my shattered whits, left the store grateful that I have a real education, and proceeded to use the optical audio port in the headphone jack to connect to my TV. I was tolld that the newest MBPs do support audio through the display port. But we’ll see.

Anonymous

Make sure you add that $45 to the price of your MBP when making your purchase. I hope to god that’s a monster cable for $45!

http://twitter.com/adamjayreid Adam Reid

…implying you cant get a hdmi-mini display port cable from monoprice for the exact same price as a normal hdmi cable. But please do continue to be misinformed, makes for a good read.

sirpaul

As apposed to using the one I already own, that stays hooked to the TV? Why should I have 2 instead of 1? Oh ya…Apple…They like to ‘think different’.

Booboolala2000

If you already have an hdmi cable, just buy a $15 adapter.

http://twitter.com/kabkoub kabkoub

THIS! is revolutionary… ;) :P
They COMPLETELY changed the design of the laptop :P

Wobbly

it’s MAGICAL, even :p

http://twitter.com/kabkoub kabkoub

you know it ;)

Slash182

Am I wrong or a some spec. not as good as the macbook pro 2010?!
-384MB Intel Graphics?

Is the only big difference really “Thunderbold” and “i5”?

Skyler

If you read the side of the box, it says that it supports the thunderbolt and mini display in the same port…

sirpaul

That’s handy…so if I want to use dual monitors and plug in my thunderbold crap, I can’t? Wow, Apple innovation at its best.

Anonymous

crApple sTory # 2

hoboX10

That’s supposed to be a macbook “pro” ? I know Apple overcharges for bad hardware, but really? My 6 month old laptop has better hardware in it than this and it was only $900. way cheaper than any macbook.

Johnny Rotten Crotch

But but but……. your paying for the privilege of having a MAC!!!!! You can hang out at Starbucks and people will think your cool and have money. Nothing like surfing the net on an over priced laptop while sucking down over priced coffee. You Apple loves make us laugh. You know like a clown.

Thenaa00

Why are all the apple haters so insecure?

HiImAdam

Sick of their machines freezing and crashing? A virus? Their phones bricked when after 2 years of waiting they got the next .xx release of android? All of the above?

Johnny Rotten Crotch

Insecure…… oh no. We just laugh at diots that over pay for everything because it has an Apple logo on it. It’s ok that you want your MAC so people will think your cool. Trust me my friend most people look at you with your over priced and under powered MACS and laughed ay all the money you spent. It’s ok really.

Anonymous

I’d pay extra just to own something a tool like you doesn’t own. You aren’t terribly bright or educated if you think the extra money is for the name. Underpowered, LOL!

Thenaa00

I’m pretty sure people who are insecure about themselves laugh at others to make themselves feel better. Pretty standard insecure move.

Cer

So, which Thunderbolt comes out first? Verizon’s or Apple’s?

drSpamBott

One more thing I don’t get is the new 13″ Air has a 1440×990 screen, why would this “pro” version still have the lower 1280 x 800 ones?

Smokeyred

As people in New Orleans would say you guys are missing the purnt. This is to hold you over til September or January when the new ones come out.

http://twitter.com/Davva360 David Moore

No doubt there will be a new one within a year but that is not unique to Apple. All tech companies do it. HTC release about a dozen cell phones per year for example. TV companies had us all rushing out to buy HDTV’s then a year later tried to make us all buy again by bringing 3D HDTV’s. In a couple more years it will be 1440P TV’s.

It is the nature of tech. You either constantly upgrade, if you feel you must always have the latest and greatest, or you do with what you have until it is no use anymore or breaks.

My 3 year old laptop is still doing fine, has 4GB of RAM, 512MB dedicated graphics card and works well for what I use it for. The battery is crap but I don’t need a new one now because I will buy a new laptop next year. Sure there are better ones out there for $1000 but I can wait another year.

http://www.bignerdblog.com BigNerd

I would think that their 13″ MBP refresh would at least have 1440×900 like the 13″ MBA.

1280×800 is so 2000 and late.

Tennyson24

why is the second picture say i5 and the below that it says dual-core??

Anonymous

Thats no thunderbolt port, thats a MiniDisplay port. I have the exact same port on the side of my ’10 MBP

Booboolala2000

Was gonna say the same thing about my MBP 13

AndroidWins

Hmm, looks pretty outdated and it isn’t even released yet. It just blows my mind how brainwashed and blind apple buyers are to consider this an “upgrade.” Have fun with your overpriced POS and outdated hardware. And before you iTards chime in, I don’t want to hear about how magical and efficient your OS is and that it doesn’t need up to date hardware; just fess up and admit PC’s have better hardware for cheaper. I also don’t want to hear about the “quality” of the parts being used because PC’s use basically the exact hardware. Just because it’s apple does not make the hardware magically better (same intel processors, ram, and mobo manufacurers). For being a “leader” in inovation, apple really drops the ball on hardware.

Anonymous

Shouldn’t you be somewhere else stealing movies and music!

Maui

Could this site be anymore pro-apple. The last 10 articles are all about Apple. God I hate this place.

Anonymous

Then go away please!

Anonymous

Looks like a mini display port.

pir800

There’s no god damn way that a mini display port would double as an optical I/O port. That makes no functional sense whatsoever. What about when I have an external monitor and want to plug in a “thunderbolt” device? That’s just plain stupid and fake. The photoshopping looks good, but it’s easy to photoshop this. BGR I’m losing some faith in you.